1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement for the shock-absorbent mounting and support of a dental super-structure, in essence, a tooth crown, a fastening element for dental bridges and the like, on an artificial tooth having an implantable root and a tissue-compatible intermediate member which provides for a close contact of the gum skin or gingiva.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An arrangement of this type has already been proposed in applicant's copending U.S. Pat. application No. 867,336. Therein, the implantable root is constituted of a biostable polymer matrix including embedded reabsorbable and non-reabsorbable calcium phosphate. The intermediate member of a tissue-compatible material which supports the close or sealing contact of the gingiva is connected with a core member which is embedded in the polymer matrix and is provided with a tapered surface. In this known artificial tooth the shock-absorbent connection between the super-structure and the tooth root, respectively the intermediate member, is constituted of a metal sleeve adapted to receive the superstructure, which is filled with silicon rubber or a similar resilient plastic material and into which there extends a bolt which is connected to or screwed together with the core of the tooth root.
An artificial tooth has become known from German Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2,247,649 in which a superstructure in the form of a crown is resiliently fastened on the root so as to create a hollow space between a threaded plug and the crown which is filled with an elastomeric material which permits an elastic movement of the crown within a predetermined extent during use whereby the crown is seated either resiliently or in a pillowed manner.
For implantable teeth it is necessary that the super-structure be shock-resiliently connected with the implanted root in order to maintain undesirable loads remote from the root. Thereby it is necessary that axial and diagonal shock loads acting in the most widely differing spatial directions be as uniformly as possible received and contained. In the known utilization of an elastic intermediate layer of an elastomeric material or the like, considerable difficulties are encountered in the determination of the impact elasticity with respect to the different directions of the shocks. In order to be able to absorb shocks equally well in all directions, it is necessary to employ complex shapes and constructions with regard to the inserted elastomeric materials.